If you're hosting with us, you have access to a handy web interface called cPanel. Here's a very brief overview of how to access it and use some of its most basic functions.
To access your cPanel, sign in, using the username and password you were assigned. Your sign-in link will simply be http://www.yourdomain/cpanel.
On the cPanel main page, there is an area with various icons with links to perform various tasks. In the second row, second column is File Manager. Click on that. File Manager will open in a new browser window.
In File Manager, you will see a list of folders. Click on the folder icon for public_html.
You are now in the main place where your files are stored online.
Look for the folder you wish to upload to. For example, if you have an update page that you're looking to (not surprisingly) update, look for the folder called update (or something similar). Click on its icon to the left. You are now "in" the directory where you will be uploading your file.
Near the top of the page, there is an arrow icon; next to it, you will see "Upload file(s)." Click on that.
You will now see an uploading panel. Use the browse... buttons to find the file you wish to upload. If doing an update, browse to your update.htm file (or whatever the name of the file is you are replacing) which you just created. If you are adding pictures (see instructions here), don't forget to upload them.
If replacing or updating a file, check the box that prompts you to "overwrite existing files." This will allow the new version of update.htm to replace the previous one.
Click "Upload."
Close the File Manager window and log out (the logout link is in the upper right corner of the cPanel main page).
CPanel provides a variety of options for email. From the main page of cPanel, you will see two mail-related icons right at the top: simply "Mail" and "Webmail." "Mail" includes the Webmail features, but also a great deal more.
The most common options you will be working with in the Mail interface are Webmail, Manage/Add/Remove Accounts, and Forwarders. (Regarding Spam Assassin: we recommend you enable Spam Assassin, but do not enable the Spam Box. Your disk space can get crowded out quickly if you allow spam to collect.)
With Webmail, you can use one of the supplied Internet mail clients so that you will be able to check your email from anywhere you have access to the web - a handy feature when travelling.
To use webmail, simply browse to http://www.yourdomain.com/webmail and enter your email address in the username field, and your password. You will have access to three different webmail applications. Choose whichever one you prefer.
Note that the main webmail page also allows you to change your email password and set your email address to forward to another email account.
Manage/Add/Remove Accounts is the heart of the cPanel email controls.
To set up a new email address, click on Add Account (bottom of the page). In the next dialogue, enter the name of your new email account, provide a password, and click "Create."
Now click "Go Back." If you use email software such as Outlook or Outlook Express, you can configure the software automatically from this page.
Before proceeding, close your email program if it is running.
A new mail address may take a few minutes to function. Doublecheck whether you are in business after 15-20 minutes following setup by sending emails to yourself - one from another of your accounts to your new address, and vice-versa.
If your mail does not work after using auto configuration, look in the account Properties in your mail software program. (In Outlook Express, from the top menu: Tools > Accounts > Mail, select the appropriate email address and click on Properties.)
Make sure that in the servers info area, you have authentication required checked (in Outlook Express, for example, "My server requires authentication" has a check box in the Properties > Servers tab).
Then, click on Configure Mail Client, choose your software from the list, and follow the instructions. (When you re-open your email software, you will likely be prompted for your password for this email address.) Note that automatic configuration will only work from Internet Explorer.
If you have set up this email account for someone else in your organization, of course, you will not follow the mail client configuration steps yourself. Instead, the person the account is for will do so. You can get him or her to sign in and configure his/her software automatically, as per above, or you can have him set up the account in the software manually.
In my version of Outlook Express (6.0 with SP2), for example, you would go to Tools > Accounts > Add > Mail...
The dialogue will ask for the user's display name (self-explanatory: you can use real names or organizational titles etc), then the email address being configured (i.e. the address you just set up).
Then you will be asked about "Email Server Names." In both the "Incoming Mail" and "Outgoing Mail" fields, input mail.yourdomainname.extension - e.g. mail.example.com. (Note: some local Internet Service Providers [ISPs - whoever you have your dialup or broadband account with] do not allow email to go out from any domain except their own. If you're having trouble sending mail, contact your ISP and check what to enter in your outgoing mail field. This will usually be something like smtp.ispdomainname.com.)
The next page of the dialogue may show something like "Internet Mail Logon." Enter the username and password. The username should be the first part of the email address (i.e. before the @); the password will be what you specified when you set up the account (see above).
Once you click on OK, you'll be able to click Finish from the final panel, and you're done.
Note that different email programs, and different versions of the same programs, will have varying interfaces. But the info provided above will invariably be asked for.
From the same page (Manage/Add/Remove Accounts), you will be able to Delete existing accounts, or change their passwords. Just click the appropriate button and follow the directions.
On the main Mail page, there is a Default Address link. This is for configuring where mail should go if it is directed to your domain but the prefix (i.e. the part before the @) doesn't match any accounts you have set up. Default should be:blackhole:, which simply means that the email will never reach you nor go to any sort of storage box on your account. It is strongly recommended that you leave this setting on :blackhole: Unless you are in the habit of creating email addresses, giving them to people and then deleting them without telling your friends, chances are that any improperly addressed email is going to be either spam or viruses. Let it die.
If you have a number of users, you are not likely to want all of them to be able to access cPanel. On the other hand, for security reasons as well as personal preference, you want your users to be able to change their email passwords for themselves. As noted earlier (see "Webmail," above), this can be done from the webmail interface.
The user would browse to http://www.yourdomain.com/webmail
The user signs in by entering his entire email address as his username (e.g. joe@yourdomain.com), as well as the existing password in the appropriate field.
On the main webmail page, there is a link at bottom left for "Change Password." Follow the link, and enter the new password (twice, for the sake of confirmation).
If the user loses his password and thus cannot sign in to webmail, you can create a new one via cPanel and provide it to him; he can then sign in to webmail and create a new password.
As you will discover, cPanel has a great deal of options in it, including "automatic" installation of various scripts. Note that some of these scripts are not recommended for use; please be sure to search the Internet regarding security issues prior to installation. Also watch your disk space (allotted limits are listed here).
To install applications using Fantastico:
At the bottom of the icon area (main section) of your front page in cPanel, click on the Fantastico (smiley) icon.
On the next page, you will find a lengthy list of auto-installing scripts, arranged somewhat by category. You can click on the names of these scripts for a bit more information; many of the descriptions provide a link to the application's home page. It's a good idea to follow that link and find out a bit more if you're not quite sure what you're installing.
If you like the application, find the link that says "New Installation" and follow the instructions. Be sure to record the user name and password you use to set up the application.
If you wish to view details of who is visiting your site, what browser they are using, what pages they view, how long they stay, and more, cPanel offers built-in stat functions by way of an application called AWstats. To use Awstats:
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your computer:
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